


An Itch Yet to be Scratched

by sanddall_asy



Series: Requests and Prompts [4]
Category: Smile For Me (Video Game)
Genre: Dissociation, Fun fact: My Neighbor Totoro released its english dub on VHS tape in 1994, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Kamal Bora has OCD (Smile For Me), M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:35:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23906284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanddall_asy/pseuds/sanddall_asy
Summary: "Is that blood?" "No.."
Relationships: Kamal Bora/Dr. Boris Habit
Series: Requests and Prompts [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1714711
Kudos: 24





	An Itch Yet to be Scratched

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Anonymous on Tumblr](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Anonymous+on+Tumblr).



“Is that blood?” Kamal starts at the question. Boris is leaning towards him, gazing at the hand Kamal had just pulled off his own head. 

Kamal glances up at his hand. Two of his fingers’ nails gleam in the dim light of their living room. He stares at them, and realises he can feel his scalp, where he had been scratching, was damp. His head itches “No…”

Boris purses his lips. “Солнышко моё, if it is blood, we-”

“No, no it’s uh, it’s not.” Kamal’s hands are twitching. He’s staring at his hands, pressed into his lap. “It’s ly-ly-ly-ly-ly-” He snaps his eyes shut, and takes a breath. His hands are trembling against the fabric of his pants, and he forces himself to speak slowly. “It’s… Lymph-phatic fluid. Not uh. Not blood.”

He hears Boris shift, and when he opens his eyes Kamal sees that Boris is facing him. Boris reaches a hand towards Kamal’s, and when Kamal jerks away, Boris retracts his hand back to next to his own leg. Kamal looks at Boris’ hand, then he unfocuses his eyes. He can feel his breaths. His husband’s thumb is moving back and forth, just enough to be noticable. Kamal’s head itches.

When Kamal brings his eyes back into focus, he guesses that around a few minutes have passed. Boris is watching him, as his eyes flicker up and they meet. Kamal straightens from the hunched position he had been in, and stands shakily. He opens his mouth, only to feel no support for his voice. So he raises his hands and signs, “I’m going to wash my hands.” His signs are careful and as smooth as he can have them when his hands are shaking so consistently.

“Do you want me to come with you?” Boris asks.

Kamal shakes his head, and shuffles into their kitchen. His hands are pressed together near his ribs, and his brain is buzzing, fragments of thoughts coming in and out of focus. It takes the water a moment to heat, and cleans his hands slowly. His head itches. The warmth of the water running over his hands is soothing, and pulls him away from the fragments; the soap is smooth on his hands, and takes with it grit from when he was helping Boris with some repotting earlier that day. It takes him longer to convince himself to remove and dry his hands then it had for him to refocus his eyes. 

When he returns to their living room, he sees the large, heavy blanket that’s his favourite at moments like these. Boris sat in the center of the couch under it, leaving Kamal enough room to sit without touching him. Kamal climbs under it and curls in on himself, legs close to his chest. He covers his mouth with some of the fabric, and wraps his arms around his legs. 

Boris gives him a small smile. “Totoro is in, if you want a distraction, lily.”

Kamal nods, and presses his forehead to Boris’ arm. Kamal’s head itches, and god, he loves his husband. Boris exhales affectionately at Kamal’s touch and turns on the TV and the VHS player with the remotes.

**Author's Note:**

> Солнышко моё - My sun
> 
> You can find me on tumblr at [@sanddall-asy](https://sanddall-asy.tumblr.com/), where I'm taking writing prompt requests.


End file.
